De Ranke Saison de Dottignies

Founded in 1996, Brouwerij De Ranke has been brewing up a mix of hop inspired beers and traditional Belgian flavors for 18 years. Saison de Dottignies is one of their more traditional beers. And while it is a traditional style, it’s still infused with De Ranke’s style.

Appearance: Gold, off-white head, solid retention.

Aroma: Grain, pears, grapes, perfume, apricots.

Taste: Grainy, stone fruity, spicy.

Overall Impression: This is a very nice Saison. Although it has a lot of traditional Saison flavor, it’s a bit different from a traditional Wallonian interpretation. The carbonation isn’t as intense and the yeast character is more on the fruity side without the typical “peppery” nature of the Walloon strains. The yeast character is also more on the clean side and doesn’t have the more funky nature of its French-speaking cousins. None of these things are knocks on De Ranke’s version, just a way to explain how this great beer drinks. If you’re looking for a Saison but want a different twist, this is would be a great one to try. It’s tasty, balanced, and enjoyable. Additionally, its reasonable alcohol level makes it a very drinkable option.

Availability: This is a reasonably available beer imported by Shelton Brothers and also is nicely affordable.